


Nightmare

by Libraryadia, Mara_Jade101



Series: Kids No More: Detective Camp Arc [6]
Category: Encyclopedia Brown - Donald J. Sobol, Max Finder Mystery (Comics), Nancy Drew (Video Games), Nancy Drew - Carolyn Keene
Genre: Dreams and Nightmares, F/M, Kidnapping, Multi, Nightmare Fuel, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-18 17:07:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29493294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Libraryadia/pseuds/Libraryadia, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mara_Jade101/pseuds/Mara_Jade101
Summary: Sally has a nightmare.It's a good thing that she has her friends there to help her.
Relationships: Encyclopedia Brown & Sally Kimball, Encyclopedia Brown/Sally Kimball, Kid Detectives & Everyone, Kid Detectives & Themselves, Max Finder & Zoe Palgrave & Alison Santos, Max Finder/Alison Santos
Series: Kids No More: Detective Camp Arc [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2050230





	1. Chapter 1: Sally

Sally couldn’t remember how she had gotten here or what was going on but she couldn’t look away from the dark screen in front of her.

“Welcome, Miss Kimball,” an eerie voice spoke from it. “You’re quite the protective girlfriend, aren’t you?”

Finding her voice nonfunctional, Sally nodded.

“Perhaps we should look into a parallel to see just how necessary you are for young Encyclopedia…”

Sally’s eyes went wide in horror but she couldn’t find her voice or a way to escape the room she had woken up in.

The screen came to life and the image on it made her stomach turn to lead.

Encyclopedia bound to the chair he had been in when she had infiltrated the animal smugglers’ hideout, clearly having just woken up.

She watched him exchange words with York, ending on York informing the young detective of his “choice” between being a tool and being a plaything.

“Perhaps we should see what young Encyclopedia is thinking,” the eerie voice remarked.

 _‘What’s this voice’s angle?’_ Sally thought. _‘Encyclopedia knew I was looking for him.’_

However, the sudden audible thoughts from the boy on the screen weren’t what she was expecting; instead they were _‘Dad, please...find me.’_

 _‘What the fresh hell?!’_ Sally thought; not that she didn’t trust Chief Brown but…

Then what she was seeing came to her just as the voice said “A pity he never met you. Had to learn to watch his own back and failed at a few cases that needed your insight but I’d say this is the beginning of the end.”

Sally watched in horror as events moved forward and the animal smugglers managed to clear out of Idaville, York shoving a bound and gagged Encyclopedia into the back of a car.

“I meant what I said, Kid,” York said as he sat next to his captive, a hand stroking Encyclopedia’s hair mockingly as the boy trembled. “And the boss will have even more use for you.”

 _‘I can’t believe this,’_ Encyclopedia whimpered mentally. _‘I’m going to have to choose between going against everything I stand for and being treated as subhuman...Dad, where are you?’_

York cackled as the car slipped away from Idaville, somehow managing to completely escape detection.

Another scene change led to Encyclopedia, blindfold and gag removed but wrists still bound, standing in front of someone who had to be that Yulis Payne guy Nancy had told them about.

Yulis cupped a hand under Encyclopedia’s chin, the boy trembling at the touch. “Well done, York. We’ll be quite able to make use of your acquisition.”

Encyclopedia swallowed hard and said in a trembling voice “I...I’m not afraid of you. And you...you can’t make me work for you!”

A sharp slap made her flinch and Encyclopedia yelp.

Yulis sighed. “A pity they didn’t manage to fully break you in before bringing you here. Oh well; I have ways of...bringing others’ minds to match mine.”

With that, he nodded to York and Encyclopedia was dragged from the room.

Another scene change revealed a bound, bruised and bleeding Encyclopedia, a thick collar around his neck with ugly burns peeking out from under it.

 _‘Everything hurts and there’s no way out,’_ he whimpered mentally. _‘God I want to go home…’_

Yulis swept into the room. Encyclopedia scrambled backwards but couldn’t stop Yulis stalking over and yanking him to his feet.

“I ask you again,” Yulis growled. “Are you going to make yourself useful or are we going to have to take further drastic measures?”

Encyclopedia glared up at him though the anger was far outweighed by pain and fear. “What more can you POSSIBLY do to me?”

Yulis laughed. Then he pressed the boy against a nearby wall and whispered in his ear. Sally couldn’t hear what was being said but the look of horror on Encyclopedia’s face and the way Yulis stroked the boy’s cheek gave Sally more than a few ideas...and she didn’t like any of them.

“So...are you going to work with me or shall I throw you to the wolves?” Yulis asked.

Encyclopedia looked at his feet and asked quietly “What do you want me to do?”

A scene change later brought the image of Encyclopedia poring over documents, plans and blueprints, less battered than he had been previously but still with that damn collar and still with bruises scattered over his face and arms.

The door to the room opened, making Encyclopedia flinch. Yulis strolled in. “How goes the planning, Boy?”

Encyclopedia kept his eyes on the papers as he quietly said “I should have the infiltration plans done in a few hours.”

Yulis’ hand stroked Encyclopedia’s hair possessively, drawing a whimper that went ignored. “Good boy. Perhaps you’ll earn the right to send a message to your parents yet.”

With that, Yulis left Encyclopedia alone. The boy buried his face in his hands and sobbed quietly.

Sally’s heart broke as the voice commented “Amazing. It would appear that if you aren’t part of his life, Encyclopedia wouldn’t have a life worth living.”

Sally finally found her voice...but couldn’t do anything other than scream.


	2. Chapter 2- Alison

Alison jerked awake to Sally screaming and shaking in her sleeping bag. Unzipping her own, she scrambled over to her side and gently shook her awake. “Sally? Sally!” she whispered.

Sally finally woke up and looked around wildly before making eye contact with Alison and slightly calming down. “...hey, Alison…” she said quietly. 

“You were having a nightmare,” Alison said, sitting on her knees. “Do you want to talk about it?”

She shook her head. Then she burst into tears.

“It was…what would have happened to Encyclopedia if I hadn't been there…in time to save him…if I hadn't been there at all!” she sobbed out.

Alison pulled her into a hug and rocked her gently. “You're not the only one who wonders what could have gone wrong,” she said into her hair. “I still have nightmares from both times Slater tortured me. I'm pretty sure the boys have nightmares too. The point is: Be grateful things went right instead of what the monsters in our imagination are telling us.”

Sally nodded, sniffling. Ruth Rose suddenly poked her head in the door with a worried expression that quickly changed when Alison waved her off. She frowned, but nodded and closed the door behind her as she entered the room. Sally gave her a small smile.

“Where are you running off to in the middle of the night?” Sally asked.

Ruth Rose shrugged.  _ “Outside,” _ she signed.  _ “Helps clear my head when the nightmares come in full force.” _

Alison nodded. “You still don't feel like speaking yet, do you?”

She shook her head and carefully got out of the wheelchair, climbing into her sleeping bag and turning to face the girls on the floor next to her.  _ “Sally, are you okay now?”  _ she asked.

Sally nodded. “Yeah; I think so.”

With that, the girls all smiled and went back to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3: Nancy

As the kids gathered in the dining room for breakfast, Nancy noticed that Sally, Alison and Ruth Rose all looked a little peaky. “Everything okay?” she asked gently.

Alison gave her a half-smile. “Just some nightmares. What ifs.”

Everyone winced.

Sally sighed. “Does it ever stop?”

“Stop? No. I still have ‘what if’ nightmares about cases that wrapped up neatly YEARS ago, especially if they involved someone I care about in trouble. Ned, Bess and George have similar nightmares as well.” Seeing Sally’s face fall, Nancy added “But get better? Yes. It just takes time...and people who are willing to help you on your way to recovery.”

Sally gave a shaky smile. “Good thing we have that in spades.”

Alison squeezed her shoulder. “And you always will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading, guys! We hope you enjoyed and stay tuned for more!


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